PANEL OKS MEDICAL MARIJUANA EXPANSION

HELENA - A bill that would increase the amount of medical marijuana
that registered patients can possess cleared its first hurdle on
Friday as the Senate Public Health, Welfare and Safety Committee
passed the measure on a 5-2 vote. Advertisement

The bill also adds to the list of chronic or debilitating medical
ailments the drug could be used to treat, including diabetes,
post-traumatic stress disorder, hepatitis C, amyotrophic lateral
sclerosis, agitation of Alzheimer's disease, nail-patella syndrome,
dysmenorrheal, anxiety and insomnia.

The original form of the bill sought to increase possession limits
from 1 ounce to 12 ounces. The committee passed the measure after
adding an amendment by Sen. Dave Lewis, R-Helena, which limits to 3
ounces.

Lewis told the committee that he didn't intend to look carefully at
the bill until after hearing from a friend and constituent who suffers
from ovarian cancer.

"She slipped a note in my pocket that said this method of treatment
was the only thing that was keeping her sane," Lewis said.

He said he then spoke with law enforcement officials who said they
would be satisfied with a 3-ounce possession limit.

"I'm hoping to ... at least try to get some support for the bill,"
Lewis told the committee.

The measure passed with Lewis and Sen. Terry Murphy, R-Cardwell,
siding with the three Democrats on the panel to vote in favor of the
bill.

Patient caregiver May Simmons of Hamilton said she was very happy with
the outcome.

"This makes it a lot easier for those of us who are caregivers to
provide compassionate care to patients," Simmons said. The bill still
must to pass the full House and Senate and be signed by governor
before becoming law.

"I have a patient in Anaconda who I couldn't serve because her medical
needs required a greater amount than I could legally deliver," Simmons
said. "Under this bill, I could have served her."

Possession or use of marijuana for any reason is a violation of
federal law. However, a spokesman for the Obama administration
previously said the president may be moving toward recognizing state
laws that legalize medical marijuana.

White House spokesman Nick Shapiro recently told the Washington Times
that President Barack Obama "believes that federal resources should
not be used to circumvent state laws, and as he continues to appoint
senior leadership to fill out the ranks of the federal government, he
expects them to review their policies with that in mind."